A boy on his way to school sustained serious injuries in a dog bite incident after he was viciously attacked by two Rottweilers in Vista, California. The dog attack occurred the morning of October 30, 2009 when the sixth grader was walking to school. Two women responded to the boy's anguished cries for help. The attack went on for awhile until another man who was passing by came to their aid and freed the boy from the dogs. The child was bitten 40 times by the dogs. His injuries, thankfully, were not life-threatening and he is expected to recover. The two dogs will be put down because of the brutality of this attack, officials said.

Dog Attack Injures Student

My heart goes out to this young boy and his family. The boy's mother says that her son is recovering physically, but that emotionally he has been severely traumatized. As a California personal injury attorney who has handled numerous dog bite cases, I have even seen adults who are traumatized and have severe psychological problems such as fear of dogs for many years after the attack. I wish this young man the very best for a complete physical and emotional recovery. Please keep him in your prayers.

Pit bulls and Rottweilers are two breeds that consistently top the list of dogs involved in fatal attacks nationwide. A report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control states that pit bulls and Rottweilers together account for 60 percent nationwide, of all fatal dog attacks. Another study by Dogsbite.org shows that of the 88 fatal dog attacks in the United States in a three-year period between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2008, 59 percent or 52 incidents involved pit bulls, followed by Rottweilers (14 percent).

California Dog Bite Law

California law requires dog owners to assume liability for their pets and injuries caused by their pets. Under California’s Civil Code Section 334: "The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness."

In this particular case, I'm wondering how these dogs got loose in the first place and got on the street. Where was the owner at the time? In my book, this amounts to negligence on the part of the owner. He or she should be held civilly and criminally responsible for this boy's serious injuries. The boy's family would be well-advised to consult an experienced personal injury attorney in San Diego, who will make sure that his rights are protected and that he gets fair compensation to cover medical costs, cost of medication, psychological counseling and cosmetic surgery, which most dog bite victims end up needing. The best personal injury lawyers will always offer a free and comprehensive consultation to injured victims and their families.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.